Tread carefully at the beach

Watch out for jellyfish, rip currents

If you go for a dip in the ocean, be wary of what may be floating next to you.

Fort Lauderdale and Delray Beach on Wednesday were flying purple flags to warn swimmers to be on the lookout for jellyfish and sea lice. Both creatures pack ugly stings and can ruin a day in the sunshine.

Beaches in both counties were also reporting rip currents, which can bring jellyfish closer to shore.

Portuguese man-of-war jellyfish, with their neon-colored purple and blue balloon floats and dangling tentacles, dish out powerful stings that can sometimes cause swelling and shortness of breath.

Lifeguards usually keep 100 percent vinegar or meat tenderizer on hand to treat any stings.

While most beaches reported few problems, Fort Lauderdale said the pests were drifting in at a moderate rate Wednesday.

"Their sting is 10 times worse than the regular jellyfish," said Fort Lauderdale lifeguard Don Weintraub.

The critters can come ashore on some parts of the beach, while other areas remain clear, Weintraub said.

"Anytime you have east winds, that's when we know we're going to get stings," said Delray Beach Ocean-Rescue supervisor Nina Mattos

Sea lice, the larvae form of the thimble jellyfish, can also cause swimmers grief, Rickerson said.

Contact with these tiny creatures typically causes itching rashes that occur in places like the back of the knee, the underarm, the neck. The larvae are very tiny, but are sometimes visible, resembling a small string, Rickerson said.

Treatment usually involves applying some sort of medicated skin cream, he said.

Sallie James can be reached at Sjames@sun-sentinel.com or 954-572-2019.

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How are lifeguards handling the jellyfish warning? Watch a video report. Sun-Sentinel.com/jellyfish